Launching, no traction.

Giro

Registered User
Hello, I just have some questions about launching, and if theres any tips or advice regarding this.

little background: im not exactly sure on the power output of my car, but here is the link of my car and everything that was done to it my the previous owner.
http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123557

Im running 255/50/60's goodyear eagle f1 tires, and my friend (who is pretty good at launching) has tried different possibilites with the launch, but we always end up spinning the tires in 1st and 2nd gear.

i know i should get better tires, that will definately help increase traction, but any words of advice from the experienced people? thanks.
 
As Rico said gearing is an issue however I would do a tracloc rebuild and try out some new tires before going that route. Lost of times the tracloc appears to be working fine when in fact it isnt (my opinion on many fords Ive owned)

Back to the gearing. IF you arent happy with the outcome then change the gears. One thing to remember is to slip the clutch out till you get moving and avoid powershifting..That will help as well. These cars have a nice amount of low end torque..Easy to spin tires
 
We have tried slipping the clutch, and going about half throttle in 1st gear , it seems to help a bit, but not quite enough. Would changing my gears to 3.08s affect my acceleration much? Also, what tires would be recommended? Both street tires and slicks.
 
well if you arent hooking up......putting 3.08's cant hurt!

Ive always liked the nitto 555's for street tires but I doubt it make much a difference over what you have unless dry rotted. Drag radials such as the Nitto 555R are nice..The MT drag radials probably the best Ive seen.

But i'd try a diff rebuild. You can do it yourself. Get the cobra clutch back with heavy duty spring. Do that and see how it is. Then look at tires an dif you dont liek it change gears...Just not a cheap option changing gears.

Now if you are looking for ultimate track times a 3.55 will make you shift into 4th and may actually kill 1/4 performance so youde want like a 3.08 or a 2.73...So many option!
 
Just get a stock rear end your acceleration will improve. If you lack hp 3.27 from an auto sc will work well too. If you are rebuilding the clutch pack might as well step down on the gears.
 
I swapped a 5 speed in to my auto car and left the 3.27 gears. I would say first gear is a little shorter then I would like but it lunches pretty good.
 
Hello, I just have some questions about launching, and if theres any tips or advice regarding this.

little background: im not exactly sure on the power output of my car, but here is the link of my car and everything that was done to it my the previous owner.
http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123557

Im running 255/50/60's goodyear eagle f1 tires, and my friend (who is pretty good at launching) has tried different possibilites with the launch, but we always end up spinning the tires in 1st and 2nd gear.

i know i should get better tires, that will definately help increase traction, but any words of advice from the experienced people? thanks.

I'd leave it just like it is and get youself a spare set of stock 16" SC wheels and mount a pair of M/T 26" x 10.5" x 16" DOT slicks for track use only (no tube or balancing required) and set the tire pressure to about 18 lbs after making each pass.

There aren't any street tires that are going to provide the traction you want unless using a Drag Radial, which I would not reccomend because they have too stiff of a sidewall and with a manual transmission can easily break the halfshafts or trans output shaft on a hard launch or if it starts wheel hoping.

David
 
+1 for what David said. He hit it right on the nose. Do not use drag radials with a 5 speed because you risk snapping the axles. Get a set of Mickey T's 26" x 10.5" x 16" ET Streets, set them up around 18lbs and work down from there.

I don't see changing gears as the first thing to do. Start with a tire that will grip.

fwiw, I run on ET Streets and find they grip pretty well when heated properly.
 
Just a note/ When I went with a 285 nitto 555 street tire I noticed that allthough I still spun the car moved much better than it did with my original 255's

Like I said if you go with a drag radial slipping the clutch and no powershifting you should be fine. I personally snapped two input shafts on my transmission from powershifting with my 285's..Non drag radials
 
I'd leave it just like it is and get youself a spare set of stock 16" SC wheels and mount a pair of M/T 26" x 10.5" x 16" DOT slicks for track use only (no tube or balancing required) and set the tire pressure to about 18 lbs after making each pass.

Thank you David, that sounds like my best route. I just looked on the M/T website, and that size tire says it requires a tube. I could be mistaken, but you are talking about the ET Streets?
 
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I run these on the STREET well over 500rwhp. Hooks great, drive properly and nothing will break. If your suspension and other stuff is good.
 
You guys are recommending to spend money on tires but that only fixes the track behavior. His street manners will be the same, and getting bad mpg too boot. I dnt see that car making crazy hp. But whatever.
 
Thank you David, that sounds like my best route. I just looked on the M/T website, and that size tire says it requires a tube. I could be mistaken, but you are talking about the ET Streets?

Yeah it does, but nobody I know runs them with a tube. I used them on my car for several years without tubes and never had any problems. I think if your going to drill the wheels and put screws into the bead of the tire to keep it from slipping on the wheel, you would need to use a tube. You don't need to do that until your car is fast enough to pop wheelies.

The reason you don't want to balance them is because over time the tire will slip a little on the wheel and put it out of balance, making it worse that having no weights on the wheel.

David
 
The reason you don't want to balance them is because over time the tire will slip a little on the wheel and put it out of balance, making it worse that having no weights on the wheel.

David

You know, that never occurred to me. I've got some big weights on my wheels right now....maybe I'll take them off. Better yet, maybe we'll go check the balance first. :)
 
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